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History

Franklin Township was the last township created in Tuscarawas County, and it was organized on December 6, 1854. 

The plains were avoided by the earliest settlers who were accustomed to judging the fertility of soil by the density of its timber. They chose to locate among the distant hills rather than try to farm the scrubby plains. Time proved they were mistaken.

Strasburg was settled in the plain a mile north of Sugar Creek much later than outlying parts of the township. It is impossible to state with certainty who was the first settler. William Smoyer is accredited by some with being the first settler. He was an old bachelor and a squatter. He cleared a little patch of ground on what was later the Zeltman farm, a half mile north of Strasburg. He lived there for some time, then moved farther upstream. Other early pioneers in the community were Leonard Bair, Sr., his son Leonard, Jr., Christian Kanagy, Michael Kohr, Abraham Wallick and George Wallick.

Strasburg was laid out by Jonathan Folck in February, 1828. It embraced 47 lots. Christian Metzger, a weaver by trade, built the first house. Frederick Harbaugh was probably the second citizen. He was a carpenter, Justice of the Peace, the first postmaster, and later on owned a small store. However, Timothy Bacon was the first store owner.

Upon returning from the Civil War and a short career as a drug salesman, Philip A. Garver established a small mercantile business in Strasburg in 1866. He opened his store in a small one-and-a-half story log building, a former sheep fold, and carried a general line of merchandise including drugs.